Saturday's games at the Northeast-hosted Carnell Challenge proved to be good and bad for No. 7 Northwest.
Facing off against No. 11 Des Moines Area for the third time in three days, the Rangers came away with a 7-5 victory, but fell in the nightcap to unranked Jefferson College, 3-0. The loss marked the first time Northwest had been shutout since a 4-0 loss to Pearl River in the opening round of the 2022 MACCC Tournament.
Northwest finished the day with a combined 11 hits, eight of which came against Des Moines Area. Morgen Brewton picked up the win for the Rangers, improving to 8-0 in the circle, while Neely Cooper was handed a tough loss in the nightcap, falling to 5-3 on the season.
Next up for Northwest will be the start of MACCC competition on Thursday, March 7, as the Rangers visit Southwest Mississippi. The doubleheader in Summit is scheduled for 1/3 P.M.
Game 1 - #7 Northwest 7, #11 Des Moines Area 5
Trailing 2-1 entering the fourth inning, Northwest tacked on three runs in the top of the fourth and three more in the final two innings, outlasting 11th-ranked Des Moines Area for the third time this season.
Des Moines Area staged a three-run rally in the bottom of the seventh, before Brewton closed the door on the Lady Bears' rally. The Mobile, Ala. native finished with four strikeouts and no walks in four innings of relief, while starter Abby Rogers tossed three strikeouts against a walk in three innings.
Madelyn Wadkins went 2-for-2 at the plate for Northwest, finishing with a double and two runs scored. Kara Johnson also finished 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Rogers and Kaylee Owens homered for a combined three RBIs.
Ellie Flanagan was handed the loss for Des Moines Area, striking out two batters against a walk and three earned runs in 3.1 innings of work. Maura Chalupa polished off the final 3.2 frames for the Lady Bears, issuing four strikeouts against a pair of walks and three earned runs.
At the plate, the Lady Bears finished with 11 hits, led by a pair of 3-for-4 efforts from Campbell Kelley and Elle Nelsen. DMACC got four extra base hits, highlighted by a triple from Nelsen.
With the win, Northwest improved to 8-1 against nationally-ranked opponents.
Game 2 - Jefferson College 3, Northwest 0
Although Cooper went the distance in the circle for Northwest, Sami Huck had a 12-strikeout effort for Jefferson College, as the Rangers fell to the Vikings.
Scoreless through the first two innings, Jefferson College scored two of its runs in the top half of the third, thanks in part to a home run from Sophia Weirich. The Vikings added another run in the top of the sixth, as the Rangers were held to just three hits.
Cooper, Ellie Fryar and Hanna Grace Gillean collected the three base hits for Northwest, with Cooper and Gillean accounting for doubles. In the circle, Cooper (5-3) tossed a strikeout against two walks and three earned runs.
